Autoharp



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK G. MOPI'IERSON, OF BEAVER FALLS, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE C.F. ZIMMERMANN COMPANY, OF DOLGEVILLE, NE\V YORK.

AUTOHARP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,906, dated January4, 1898. Application filed September 28, 1897. Serial No. 652,767. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.- of the keys can be readily effected, so asto Be it known that I, FRANK G. MOPHERSON, secure ease of manipulation.a citizen of .the United States, residing at The manual 4 is shown withtwo pairs of Beaver Falls, in the county of Beaver and shoulders 16 and17, each shoulder pair con- 55 State of Pennsylvania, have invented newfining a spring 6 or 7. By having the parts and useful Improvements inAutoharps or so arranged that by the shifting of the man- MusicalInstruments, of which the following ual one or another of the shoulders17 is caris a specification. ried past or outside of a guide 1 or 2 orpast By this invention a musical instrument, the inneredge orface ofsuchguide such shift- 6o such as an autoharp or the like, can be made ing ofthe manual will cause a compression of compact form, as also easy ofmanipulaof one spring or another between a shoulder tion; and theinvention resides in the novel 16 andaguide 1or2. Such compressed springfeatures of construction set forth in the folon the release of themanual returns the latlowing specification and claims and illuster tonormal or inactive position. The man- 65 trated in the annexed drawings,in which ual when in normal position can practically Figure 1 is asectional side elevation of an have the shoulders 17 flush with theinner autoharp or musical instrument. Fig. 2 is a faces of the guides 1and 2, and if the manplan View of Fig. 1. ual shifts to compress aspring-as, for ex- Suitable guides or risers 1 and 2 carry a ample,6-the shoulder 17, confining spring 70 2o cross or top piece 3. One ormore bars or 7, is moved from guide 2 or some distance tomanuals 4 areslidable or longitudinally reward guide 1, so as to carry the spring 7away ciprocating in either direction and are suitfrom such guide 2. Ashift of the manual in ably guided or passed through slits or ways theopposite direction will of course cause in guides 1 and 2. The manual 4carries conspring 6 to be carried away from contact with 7 5 tactors ordampers 5. As the manual shifts guide 1 while spring 7 is compressed.

in one direction or another a compression of The fingers 5 may servevarious purposes one or another of the oppositely-located or as, forexample, picking or damping-or, in oppositely-acting returning-springs 6and 7 other words, the shift of the manual can be results. The tendencyof the springs 6 and made to leave certain strings free or accessi- 8o 07 is to keep the manual 4 out of active posible or sounded.

tion. What I claim as new, and desire to secure The manual is jointed orpinned at 8 to a by Letters Patent, is lever 9 and 10, fulcrulned at 11.The lever- 1. A longitudinally reciprocating bar or arm 10 has theoppositely-extending arms or manual combined with a double-acting key 853 5 branches 12 and 13, each provided with a for positivelymoving themanual in both difinger button or rest 14 and 15. Each arm 12 rectionsand means operating to automaticor 13, with its button 14. or 15, may beconsidally return the reciprocating bar or manual ered as forming a key.A depression of butto normal position substantially as described. ton14; will shift the manual in one direction to 2. A longitudinallyreciprocating bar or 0 4o compress spring6 and bring the fingers orconmanual combined with a double acting key tactors 5 to act on onechord or one set of for positively moving the manual in both distrings.Adepression of button 15 will shift rections, and oppositely-actingreturningthe manual to'compress spring 7 and bring springs for themanual substantially as dethe contactors 5 to act on a different set ofscribed. 95 strings. By making the contactors 5 thus do 3. Alongitudinally reciprocating bar or double duty or adapted to act on twosets of manual combined with an actuating lever strings an increasedvariety of effects is obhaving oppositely-extended branches or keystai'nable even with a limited number of mansubstantially as described.uals, so that compactness of structure can be 4. A longitudinallyreciprocating bar or I00 secured. Asthe keys 14 and 15 can be placedmanual combined with a double-acting key within easy reach of thefingers,the actuation for positively moving the manual in both directions, and oppositelyacting returningsprings for the manual, saidmanual having shoulder pairs for confining the springs, andmanual-guides past one of which a shoulder is made to pass to leave aspring free to con tact With such guide as the manual is shifted in onedirection or another substantially as described.

5. A longitudinally -reciprocating bar or manual combined with adouble-acting key for positively moving the manual in both directions,and oppositely-acting returningsprings for the manual, said manualhaving shoulder pairs for confining the inner and outer ends of eachspring, and manual-guides past one of which an outer shoulder is made topass to leave a spring free to contact with such guide as the manual isshifted in one direction or another, said outer shoulders being normallyflush With the inner faces of the guides substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I. have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

FRANK G. MOPHERSON.

.Vitnesses:

G. L. EBERHART, FRANK H. I-l'ooN.

